Turret top luggage compartment



May 20, 1952 w. E. MARTIN TURRET TOP LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27, 1947 INVENTOR. zf fallaam E/VCZWZvL/Z May 20, 1952 w. E. MARTIN TURRET TOP LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1947 INVENTOR. Mariam Eflfawfiuz May 20, 1952 w. E. MARTIN TURRET TOP LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 55 Filed March 27, 1947 INVENTOR. 3%[1 Lam/ZTMarZQ jn Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

TURRET TOP LUGGAGE COMPARTMEN'I William E. Martin, Kewanee, Ill.

Application March 27, 1947, Serial No. 737,476 11 Claims. (01. 22.4-42.1)

This invention is directed to a newly constructed turret top luggage compartment adapted specifically for use and attachment upon the top of the passenger body portion of a conventional automobile. It is one of the main objects of this luggage compartment to provide a rigidly constructed base adapted to be positioned upon the top of the car body in such a manner as to receive adequate support about the peripheral margins of the'auto top, which actually present the strongest portion of the top due to its relatively abrupt curvatures at the peripheral portions thereof. This base is provided with a baggage supporting floor that is adapted to bridge the top of the automobile so that the weight of the baggage will not be supported by any of the flatter and greater radii portions of the automobile top.

It is a, further object of the present invention to provide a base ,of the kind above noted, which is provided with a continuous supporting skirt ,connected for positioning the floor of the luggage compartment in a general, normal, horizontal plane, the skirt also being so shaped at its terminal edge portions as to conform substantially with the peripheral contour of the contacting portion of the auto top that is engaged by the skirt. It is another advantage of the pres- ;ent invention to provide the skirt portion of the base with a suitable resilient footing which extends entirely about the terminal edges of the skirt and which may in gasket fashion seat firmly upon the upper supporting portion of the auto- ,mobile top, thereby producing a finished joint tion of baggage carried within the luggage com partment.

This invention also contemplates the further concept of constructing the turret top with a preformed shape adapted to provide a fixed base integral with the car top and which may be used for transporting boats, ladders, or other units. Or such base may be used to carry baggage and the like protected by an attached cover.

It is a further object of the present design of luggage compartment to shape the cover and base in complementary fashion to form a beantifully streamlined luggage compartment, which in its entirety blends into the outline of the car body, as accentuated by the particular design of the base, which in its attachment blends substantially into the rounded and curved portion of the top of the car body.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a suitable hinge connecting the cover with the base of the luggage compartment, which for all normal purposes permits the cover to swing upwardly to provide access to the luggage compartment, such hinge also being constructed for quick disassembly, permitting removal of the cover when this is desired. By removing the cover, the remaining base portion can be used for supporting larger objects upon the car top with the introduction and use of proper fastening means such as straps and the like. In this manner a boat, oversized camping equipment, ladders or any other transportable units may be carried upon the car top through the instrumentality of the large and rigid supporting floor of the base, receiving its support by the long peripheral skirt and the attached'footing which engages the peripheral portions of the automobile top, thereby distributing the supported weight of the luggage compartment and contents over a large portion of the car top.

The base is attached to the top through suitable fixtures that are detachable with respect to the car top ,or to the base, so that the entire base can be removed from the car top and stored together with the cover until needed. When this base is in use it will serve to protect the car top from injury or damage particularly in an accident that would result in an overturning of the car or a roll over.

All other objects and advantages relating to the turret top luggage compartment of the present invention shall hereinafter appear in the following detailed description having reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a' general diagrammatic side elevational view of a conventional automobile incorporating the turret top luggage carrier of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the luggage compartment illustrating certain details of construction thereof;

Fig. 3 is a, front elevational view of the luggage compartment as applied to the top of an automobile;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the luggage compartment with the cover opened and braced in 'such position by suitable means for easy access to the compartment;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the luggage compartment substantially as viewed along the line 5 -5 Fig ,4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail cross sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the luggage compartment illustrating one arrangement of securing the base of the compartment to a top of a conventional automobile;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the hinged portion of the carrier or compartment as viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 3 illustrating certain details of construction of the hinge employed for this turret top compartment;

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the compartment substantially as viewed along the line 88 in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of a car top using a base integrally formed with the top of the structure of the car, with certain portions broken away and in section to show the details of construction of this modification;

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of same also broken away and in section to show the construction; and

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of the integral turret top carrier with the cover removed and as utilized for transporting a boat.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the turret top luggage compartment in generally indicated at I as resting upon the top of a conventional automobile 2 and suitably attached thereto providing a carrier means for utility on special occasions or at all times to carry additional transportable objects which cannot be accommodated by the ordinary trunk baggage compartment of an automobile.

This compartment comprises a cover 3 having a hinged connection at 4, see Figs. 3, 7 and 8, with a base 5, the latter being secured to the auto top 6 by suitable fastening fixtures I which engage the rain beads or troughs 8 that are standard equipment on conventional automobile bodies.

The base 5 comprises a floor or deck 9 having a peripheral skirt ID that is shaped with its upper edge having a peripheral offset and upstanding ridge I I connecting the skirt I with the floor 9 to dispose the latter in a generally horizontal plane as determined by the shape of the body top engaging edge I2 of the skirt ID. The edge I2 of the skirt I0 is provided with .a substantially continuous resilient footing means comprising a gasket I3 preferably constructed with a hollow contacting base portion I4, see Figs. 6 and 8, for engaging the top 6 of the car 2. Thus with the skirt of the base formed to generally sit about the outer peripheral portion of the car top 6 particularly along the points of sharper curvature where the greatest strength of the top resides with respect to vertical supporting loads, this skirt I0 and. its resilient gasket I3-forms a continuous seal for the base blending the structure of such base into thestructure of the top thereby practically forming a continuation of the normal conventional automobile body structure to provide the supporting meansfor a turret top luggage compartment.

As seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the base 9 is adapted to span the outer upwardly convex portion of the top without contacting the intermediate portion of the top so that the entire load carried upon the floor 9 will be supported about the peripheral portion of the top 6 asbest illustrated in the drawings. To further reinforce the floor 9 of the base 5, this floor is provided with longitudinal downwardly formed ribs I5 supplemented by transversely formed ribs I6, with all of the ribs intersecting and extending from front to back and side to side from adjacent the reinforced peripheral connection between the floor 9 and the skirt It! as provided by the upstanding ridge II previously described.

The base 5 therefore is designed to provide a means to bridge the entire central area of the automobile top relieving the weaker or horizontal portions of such top from direct vertical supporting strains introduced by the carrier and luggage with the weight distribution being concentrated, as previously described, about those peripheral areas of the top having smaller radii establishing stronger supporting areas to better carry the load of the luggage compartment and its contents as well as the stresses induced through the fastening means I at their points of connection between the base 5 and the car top bead 8.

Since the floor 9 is of considerable area it is possible that the same, particularly under loaded conditions, might resort to diaphragming especially whenthe car is going over a road surface which may induce periodic up and down motion to the entire automobile. Since this might bring the floor 9 into contact with the top 6, it is proposed to use a sponge rubber pad or other cushioning means such as I1 illustrated in Fig. 5 which may be suitably attached at one or more points along the center of the floor 9 to provide a cushioning means for counteracting diaphragming or entirely eliminating the same as the case may be.

It should also be noted that the cover 3 and the base 5 are formed as complementary compartment units having a composite streamlined exterior which blends directly into the general streamlined shape of the car top and with the body of the automobile itself.

Referring to Figs. c and 5, it is seen that any suitable bracket means may be used for maintaining the top 3 in raised position with respect to the base 5 when loading or unloading the items or other objects from the luggage compartment.

The bracket may be of a conventional type and is here shown as comprising a pair of links I8 and I9 pivotally connected with the cover 3 and base 5 with an appropriate latching means 29 interposed at the central pivoting point 2| to hold the bracket links vertically, thus maintaining the cover 3 in opened position. Conventional latch means 22 for engaging through a suitable opening in the floor 9 of the base may be utilized in connection with a key lock handle 23 also used for lifting the cover and lowering the same having the dual purpose of latching and unlatching the cover from the base.

As best illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8, it should be noted that the cover edge 24 is adapted to seat upon a ridge 25 disposed adjacent the reinforcing peripheral ridge II forming an overlapping seal which will prevent dust, dirt and water from enteringthe luggage compartment proper whenever the cover 3 is down in place and locked to the base 5 of the luggage compartment I. It is obvious that resilient means may be employed either in connection with the edge 24 or the ridge 25 should that be desirable, although for normal use the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8 should suffice,

In order to provide a means for disconnecting the cover 3 at the hinge 4 from the base 5 to bodily remove the cover, the hinge is made With a removable pin 26 as best illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8. This pin 26 passes through the loops of the cover hinge portion 21 and the base hinge portim- 28"a'nd terminates with an upstanding end Elihaving a smalllaterallybent'portion' so which passes through a suitableopening 3-1 formed in the cover 3 for the reception of a cotter pin 32 which is appliedor removed from withinthe' C ver 3 An appropriately formed guardpditioiiifl may be employed as a part of the hinge portion 21:01 as a separate bracket secured to the cover 3 to shield the end of the upstanding portion 29 ofthepi rl 2 6 for the purpose'of reventing the use of a Hacksaw or chisel for severing the up'stand ing portion 29' of the" pin 2'6.- This" guard 33' is relatively closed and has" a tapered portion 34 suitably shaped as shown to permit limited pivota'l movement of the pin 26' in Ordi to remove the" end from the opening 3! in the cover 3 after thecottenpin 3 2 nasteeriremoved. Then the pin 26 maybe pulled laterally from behind the guard 33 and out of the hinge loops of the hinge sections 21 and Z8 separating the cover 3' froin the base'5' to remove the former. Theguard 33 permits endwise'reinoval of the'hinge pin 26. Other like arrangements maybe substituted for this purpose. Simplemeans ay be employed for detaching one end or the other of the bracketlinks; l8, l9 tocomplete the separation of the cover from the base; I h

As best showninFigi 6; the fastening fixtures I are preferably constructed with threaded studs 35 having to ugh metal: bands 36 secured thereto, these bands each terminating in the hook 3! for engaging beneath the connected portions of the rainbeads' 8 with the' body top' 5; Each of the fixtures T are adapted to fit' through suitable openings formed in offsets 3'8f formed in the skirt ID of thebase 5and nuts 39 are screwed'u pon the threaded ends of the studs 35'toincreasethe ten sionof the fastening fixtures and to tighten the base 5 against the't o'p of the auto G'thrOugh the instrumentalit'y of the hook 31 about the underside of the head 8 of the automobile body. The floor er of the base to" is provided with suitable openings such as 40' appropriately positioned to permit access to the nut139 tightening or re'- moving'thefi'xtures I as'the case may be.

m the foregoing construction the: carrier for the turret top is designed for complete removal through use of the detachable fastening means described. Figs; 9 and 10 illustrate theus'e of a carrier that has its base formed integrally with the car top providing aturret top of special configuration comprising standard equipment for a car body of thisty'p'e'. The turret top is deformed to provide a continuous peripheral ridge 45 having an inwardly sloping marginaljsectioh 41 supporting a substantially horiaontally' posi tioned deck 43. The elevation (if the deck 48 is lower than the elevation of the normal crown 49 (in dot and dash lines) of th'conventional car turret top thereby decreasing the overall height of the car and carrier including the added cover The'deck 48 may be'ridgedfor r-eniorcement but suitable cross bars 5| can be used to give" strength to the deck,-suchbars'being preferably welded to the deck and side portions 52 of the top 45 as seenin Fig, 10. I

7 Cover is constructed with an overhanging flanged peripheral edge 53 to lap the ridge 46 of the integral base structureto'keepdust and dirt out of the carrier compartment proper. A suitable key lock hand latch 54 maybe used to lock the cover 50in place, such cover havinga hinge arrangement 55 to attach same to turret'topj 45 for coaction with the deck structure to enclose thejbaggagereceiving area of manner. Hinge means'55-maybe' of a removable type as described in'OOh'neetiOIiWith Figs. 1 to StOpei'mit removal of the cover 510'; w

I With cover 50 detached; the deck structure can be used for transporting other objects such as the boat 56' shown in Fig. 11. A plurality of headed-studs may be Welded or otherwise secured toth upsweep'portions 58' of the turret top 45 in positions below the parts of" the deck' structure covered by the flange 53' on cover 50 when the latter is being used as in Figs. 9 and 10; Studs 57 form" anchoring means to receive the ends of a strap, cable, cord, chain, or any other suitable fastening means such as 59 for securing the object being transported.

The: specific construction of turret top luggage compartments shown and described merely ex emplii'y typical constructions embodying themhe'rent features" involved in the present inventive cdncept. Changes and modifications are con templated in the arrangement, form, and combinati'on of parts, all within the purview of the pre ent design, such modificatiohsbeing governed by the breadth and scopeof the claims appended hereto and directed to thenew and novel luggage compartment design.

What I claim is: i v i 1. A- luggage carrier for an automobile top, said carrier comprising abase; said ba'sefhavin'g a floor, and aflskirt connected with said floor, said skirt terminating in an edge ha'ving a contour substantially coineident with the generalcontour of the peripheral edge portions atthe: automobile top, means to securesaid skirt with'its edge incontact with said topto supportsaid base in a substantially horizontal plane relative to said car by meansof the shape oi the terminal edge of said skirt, and resilient gasket means connected with said skirt edge to provide a footing having auto-'- matic adjustable contact" with said automobile top to firmly support said base along the entire line of contact of the skirt with said top.

2. A luggage carrier for an automobile top,'-said' carrier comprising a base, saidbase having a floor,

a skirt connected with said floor and-shaped to support said'floor in spaced'relation out of contact with the upper convex portion of the top, said skirt contacting the peripheral edge portions of 7 said automobile top,-saidfioor having ribs extending thereacross between oppositely located skirt portions and in predetermined locations out of contact with said top toprovide a'stiff floor to span said top, and means connected with said base for attachment with said automobile top' to fix the location ofthe floor and floor ribs of'said' base with respect to said convex top.

3. A luggagecarrier for an' automobile top, said carrier comprising a base, said base having a floor, a skirt connected with said floor and shaped to support said floor in spaced relation out of contact with the upper convex portion of the top, said base andskirtconnection including an upstanding ofifset wall to stifien the periphery of said base at this point, said skirt contacting the peripheral edge portions ofsaid automobile top, and said floor having ribs extending thereacross between oppositely located points on said upstandingolfset wall and out of contact with said 7 comprising a base, a cover therefor, said base having a floor, a skirt connected with said floor and shaped to support same in spaced relation over the upper convex portion of the top, said base and skirt connection including an offset upstanding ridge to stiffen the periphery of said base at this point, said skirt being adapted to contact the peripheral edge portions of said turret top, said cover being arranged to coact with said base overlapping the offset ridge thereon to create a dust and water free closure, and said base having ribs extending thereacross between oppositely located portions of said upstanding ridge to provide a stiff floor to span said top, and means connected between said base and said turret top to fix the location of said base with respect to said top.

5. An automobile turret top luggage carrier comprising a base, a cover therefor, said base having a floor, a skirt connected with said floor and shaped to support same in spaced relation over the upper convex portion of the top, said base and skirt connection including an offset upstanding ridge to stiffen the periphery of said base at this point, said skirt being adapted to contact the peripheral edge portions of said turret top, said cover being arranged to coact with said base overlapping the offset ridge thereon to create a dust and water free closure, and said base having ribs extending thereacross between oppositely located portions of said upstanding ridge to provide a stiff floor to span said top, and means connected between said base and said turret top to fix the location of said base with respect to said top, and hinge means to permit said cover to swing open with respect to said base.

6. An automobile turret top luggage carrier comprising a base, a cover therefor, said base having a floor, a skirt connected with said floor and shaped to support same in spaced relation over the upper convex portion of the top, said base and skirt connection including an offset upstanding ridge to stiffen the periphery of said base at this point, said skirt being adapted to contact the peripheral edge portions of said turret top, said cover being arranged to coact with said base overlapping the offset ridge thereon to create a dust and water free closure, and said base having ribs extending thereacross between oppositely located portions of said upstanding ridge to provide a stiff floor to span said top, and means connected between said base and said turret top to fix the location of said base with respect to said top, and hinge means to permit said cover to swing open with respect to said base, said hinge means including removable mechanism to remove said cover from said base.

7. An automobile luggage carrier in combination with the automobile turret top comprising a substantially horizontally arranged deck, a skirt integrally formed with said deck and terminating in a raised border having peripheral connection with said deck, and structural members disposed across said deck to reenforce and stiffen the luggage carrying portion of said deck, said structural members providing a part of said deck and having connection with spaced points on peripheral portions of said raised border and adjacent said skirt.

8. An automobile luggage carrier in combination with the automobile turret top comprising a substantially horizontally disposed deck, a skirt integrally formed with said deck and terminating in a ridge having peripheral connection with said deck, said deck having portions thereof deformed and positioned to traverse said deck to reenforce and to stiffen the luggage carrying portion of said deck, said deformed portions of said deck having connection with spaced peripheral portions of said skirt, and a cover for said deck to enclose a predetermined space above said deck, said cover having an edge adapted to seat upon said skirt ridge adjacent the spaced unions of said deformed deck portions and said skirt ridge and formed to overhang said ridge to keep out dust, dirt and water.

9. A base for a luggage carrier to engage the rounded peripheral edge portions of an automobile turret top, said base comprising a skirt having an edge for contacting said turret top edge portions, said base terminating upwardly in a peripheral offset wall to stiffen said upper terminal edge of said skirt, a luggage supporting floor connected with said offset wall to span the turret top in spaced relation thereto, said floor having depressed channels formed therein and extending across said floor below the luggage carrying plane thereof with the end portions of said channels connecting at spaced points on said offset wall and at opposite sides of said floor, and said channels being arranged to intersect at predetermined locations beneath said luggage carrying floor to contribute strength to suspending said floor in spaced relation with respect to the turret top and to counteract diaphragm action of the floor.

10. A luggage compartment in combination with the turret top of an automobile comprising an upwardly formed skirt connected with peripheral edge portions of said turret top, a floor spanning the area Within said skirt and adapted to support luggage, said floor forming the upper turret top enclosure for said automobile, said floor and skirt being annularly joined by an angularly disposed wall connected with said skirt and with said floor, said skirt and wall joint forming a continuous ledge about said turret top, and a cover for said luggage carrying floor, said cover having its edge formed to rest upon the aforesaid ledge and having another portion of the edge depending and terminating below the plane of the ledge and outwardly with respect thereto.

11. A luggage carrier in combination with the turret top of an automobile comprising an upwardly formed skirt as a continuation of the turret top and encircling the latter, a floor spanning the area within said skirt and adapted to support luggage, said floor providing the top enclosure for the automobile, and a joining wall connecting said floor with said skirt to complete the top enclosure, said joining wall being angularly disposed with respect to said floor and to said skirt to provide a strong ledge about the car top adapted for supporting and carrying articles upon said ledge that exceed the length or breadth of said luggage supporting floor.

WILLIAM E. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,134,635 Le Boeuf Oct. 25, 1938 2,387,779 Strauss Oct. 30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 685,786 France Apr. 7, 1930 696,362 France Oct. 14, 1930 364,267 Italy Oct. 26, 1938 853,371 France Dec. 7, 1939 

